Starpaw sat on a rocky ledge and cried. Her tears formed a pool at the bottom. Starpaw kept on running, until the forest consumed her into shadows.

She sniffed. She then immediately recognized the scent of Shadowclan. Oh no! Shadowclan will get me!

Starpaw ran in the opposite direction. But she felt Blackstar's enormous paw almost crush her.

"What are you doing here?" Blackstar growled.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please let me go!" Starpaw yowled.

Blackstar removed his paws from Starpaw. He huffed. "It's okay. No one is perfect."

Starpaw stood upright. "That's not true! Starclan is the most perfect of them all!"

Blackstar turned to the purple apprentice. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well... they give us prophecies and advice!" Starpaw mewed.

"I guess that's true." Blackstar meowed, looking down at his paws. "I didn't even mean it like that."

"Really? Why?" Starpaw asked, looking up at Blackstar, the shadowed forest above him getting brighter.

Blackstar quivered in fear. "Because you are! Will you be my-" Blackstar started.

"WHAT NO!" Starpaw said. "I can't!"

"But why not?" Blackstar meowed.

"Because I have enough problems already, Blackstar! Please, just stop!" Starpaw hissed.

Blackstar took a step back. "But please! You're all I've ever wanted! You beat me in battle! You are perfect! You have to be my mate!"

"NO!" Starpaw meowed, running deeper into the forest. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, down to her paws. Starclan, help me, please!